Movable stairway.



F. E. BESSLER. MOVABLE STAIRWAY. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. I915.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Attorneys,

'F. E. BESSLER. MOVABLE STAIRWAY. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 19:5.

Patented Mini. 20, 1917'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Attorneys,

FJE. BESSLER. MOVABLE 'STAIRWAY. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1915.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Attorn eyso ms co. PMOTOVLITNDQ WASHING mu. 0. c

FRANK E. BESSLER, 0F AKRON, OHIO.

MOVABLE STAIR'WAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BESSLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of @hio, have. invented a new and useful Movable Stairway, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a stairway of that gen: eral type which is mounted to slide upon a panel, the panel constituting a closure for an opening in a ceiling, the device being adapted tobe employed, primarily, in locations in which space is limited, and where a permanent stairway cannot be built. r

One object of the present invention is to provide novel means for controlling th movement of the swinging panel. 1 Another object of the invention. is to provide novel means for controlling the slid ing movement of the stairway on the panel.

Another object of the invention is to pro-f vide novel means for holding the panel, releasably, in an uplifted position.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the inven-. tion.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation, the panel being swung downwardly and the stairway beingin an advanced posi tion upon the panel; 7

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; g Fig. 3 shows the invention in side elevation, the panel being swung upwardly, and the stairway being retracted on the panel;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the actuating shaft, the drum on the shat'tbeing shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing in elevation, the latch mechanism whereby the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

, Application filed November 22 1915. Serial No. 62,835.

panel is upheld in the position shown in Fig. '6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 'T -i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a crosssection on the line S-S of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a cross section through the hand rails.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a portion of a ceiling, provided with a hatchway 2, the parts above referred to bein g mentione'd hereinafter as a frame. The invention further includes a vertically swinging panel 3 connected with the frame 1 at one end by means of a hinge 4, the panel 3 constituting a closure for the hatchway 2. Secured to the panel 3 adjacent its lower end are brackets 5, similar brackets 6 being secured to the panel adjacent the upper "end of the panel. Rollers 7 are j ournaled on the brackets 5 and 6, the axles which support the upper rollers 7 for rotation being denoted specifically by the reference character 8. The brackets 5 and 6 terminate in inwardly projecting fingers 9.

Mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of the panel 3 is a stairway which is denoted generally by the numeral 10, the stairway 10 comprising stiles 11 and treads 12. In the outer faces of the stiles 11, longitudinal guides 14 are formed, the guides pretera-bly taking the form of grooves. The stiles 11 of the stairway 10 rest antifrictionally upon the rollers/7. and the fingers 9, registering in the guides 1% serve to maintain the stairway upon the rollers for longitudinal movement. In order to limit the up ward and downward movement oi the stairway 10, upon the panel 3 stops 15 are secured to the stiles .11 of the stairway 10 and extend across the guides'ld, the stops being adapted to cooperate with the fingers 9 for the purpose specified.

A telescoping hand rail structure is provided, the same comprising a post 16, mounted upon one otthe axles 8 and held in place by bolts 8 or the like, cooperating with one of the upper brackets 6. A hand rail section 17 is secured to the upper end of the post 16 and overlaps a hand rail section 18 supported by posts 19 which are secured to one of the stilesl'll of the stairway 10. Each hand rail section 17 carries a clip 26, the clip of each hand rail section registering slidably in a groove 21 formed in the other hand rail section.

Secured to the frame 1 at one end of the hatchway 2 are bearing brackets 22 provided with outstanding, hook-shaped arms 23 fitting into grooves 24 formed in shafts 25, the shafts 25 thus being upheld for rotation upon the arms 23 but being held against longitudinal movement thereon. Drums 26 are secured to the ends of the shafts 25 by any suitable means indicated conventionally at 27. The shafts 25 are mounted to rotate independently of each other, and any suitable means may be provided for connecting the inner ends of the shafts for this purpose. As shown, the inner ends of the shafts 25 are provided with axially alined recesses receiving rotatably the ends of a pin 28. The inner ends of the shafts 25 are located within a bearing 29 formed in a partition 30, constituting a part of a spring drum 31 provided with a removable end wall 32. Springs 33 are located within the drum 31 upon each side of the partition 30. Each spring 33 at one end is secured to the drum 31, each spring at its other end being secured to one of the shafts 25.

A cable 34 is wrapped around the drum 31 and one end of the cable is secured to the drum. The other end of the cable is secured as shown at 35 to one of the stiles 11 of the stairway 10. Other cables 36 are provided, the cables 36 being wrapped around the drums 26 in a direction opposite to that in which the cable 34 is wrapped around the spring drum 31. The other ends of the cables 36 are pivotally connected with shoes 37 attached to the panel 3 adjacent the lower end thereof. The intermediate portions of the cables 36 pass around sheaves 33 supported upon brackets 39 attached to the side portions of the frame 1 and located in the hatchway 2. The cables 34 pass between fingers 40 formed upon the brackets 39. Each cable 34 is provided with a projection 41. adapted to engage the fingers 40. This projection 41 may be in the form of a clamp, adjustably but firmly held upon the cable 36.

Attached to the frame 1 at one end of the hatchway 2 and at a point opposite to the hinge 4 is a keeper 42 adapted to coiiperate with a latch lever 43, the latch lever and the keeper being beveled as indicated at 44, so that when the panel 3 is swung upwardly the latch lever will automatically engage with the keeper as will be understood clearly from Fig. 5. The latch lever 43 is fulcruIned intermediate its ends as shown at 45 upon a plate 46 secured to the panel 3 and extended. across an opening 47 in the panel, through which opening the latch lever 43 passes. The latch lever terminates in an arm 43 extended beneath the panel 3 and disposed approximately parallel to the panel.

Attached to the free end of the arm 43" is a flexible element 48 which may be a chain or the like. The latch lever 43 is equipped, above the panel 3, with a laterally projecting lug 49 receiving a rod 50. The rod 50 passes through a screw eye 51 or other support, mounted upon the panel 3. Tnterposed be tween the screw eye 51 and the lug 49 is a compression spring 52. At its forward or lower end, the rod 50 terminates in a hook 53 engaged around the forward edge of the latch lever 43. The rear or upper end of the rod 50 is loosely secured as indicated at 54 to a transverse lever 55 fulcrumed as shown at 56 intermediate its ends upon the panel 3. The outer end of the lever 55 cooperates with an upright lever 56 fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon one of the axles 8, the upper extremity of the lever 56 being laterally extended to form a handle or foot piece 57 The practical operation of the structure is as follows, presupposing that the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 3.

The flexible element 48 is seized and pulled upon, this operation serving to tilt the latch lever 43 upon its fulcrum 45, the latch lever thus being disengaged from the keeper 42. If the pull upon the flexible element 48 is continued, the panel 3 will be swung downward upon its hinged mounting 4 and will assume the inclined position shown in Fig. 1.

By the operation above described, the flexible elements 36 will travel around the sheaves 38 until the clamps or projections 41 on the cables engage the fingers 40 of the brackets 39. When the projections or clamps 41 thus engage the fingers 40, downward-swinging movement under the panel 3 will be stopped. During the operation above described, the cables or flexible elements 36 will be unwrapped from the drums 26, and since the drums 26 are secured to the shafts 25, the shafts 25 will be rotated. hen the shafts 25 are rotated, the springs 33 which are connected to the shafts and to the spring drum 31, will be put under ten- SIOII.

The stairway then either under its own inertia or under a slight pull will slide down wardly into the position shown in Fig. 1, the stiles 10 of the stairway riding on the rollers 7 and the fingers 9 of the brackets 5 and 6 engaging in the guides 14 of the stiles, to hold the stairway for anti-frictional movement upon the rollers. As the stairway 1O slides downwardly into the advancing position shown in Fig. 1, the flexible element or cable 34 will be unwrapped from the spring drum 31. Recalling that the cables 34 and 36 are wrapped in opposite directions about their respective drums it will be seen that when the cable 34 is unwrapped, as last above specified, the springs 33 will be put under further tension.

hen the stairway is slid upwardly along the panel 3, the springs 33 will react upon the spring drum 31 to reel in the flexible element 34, and thus the raising of the stairway will be facilitated. Likewise,

. when the panel 3 is swung upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Fig. 3, the springs 33 will react upon the shafts 25, the latter controlling the drums 26 and reeling in the cables 36, the labor incident to raising the panel 3 being thereby lessened materially.

When the stairway 10 is elevated and slid rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the rear end of the stairway will extend beyond the hinge 4. The stairway 10, therefore, serves to overbalance the panel 3, and acts as a counter-weight, facilitating the manipulation of the panel.

As the stairway 10 slides rearwardly on the panel 3, the parts 17 and 18 of the hand rail will telescope upon each other, it being noted that the hand rail section 17 is secured to one of the brackets 6 which,in turn, are secured to the panel 3, the hand rail section 18 being secured by means of the posts 19 to one of the stiles 11 of the stairway 10.

When the panel 3 is in the uplifted position shown in Fig. 3, the latch lever 43 will be engaged with the keeper 42 as shown in Fig. 5. It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the latch lever 43 may be disengaged from the keeper 42 by pulling upon the flexible element 48 from a point below the panel 3. It is possible, also, to unlatch the lever 43 from the keeper 42 when a person is standing above the panel 3. Under such circumstances, the lever 56 is manipulated,

preferably by pressing the foot against the end 57 of the lever 56, the lever tilting upon its fulcrum 8 and actuating the transverse lever 55 which, tilting upon its fulcrum 56, will actuate the rod 50, the hook 53 of the rod engaging with the latch lever 43 and disengaging the same from the keeper 42. The function of the spring 52 is to maintain the hook 53 engaged with the latch lever 43 when the latter is manipulated by the depending flexible element 48. This spring 52, further, abutting against the lug 49 serves to swing the latch lever 43 forwardly so that the beveled parts of the latch lever and of the keeper 42 will cooperate, permitting the latch lever to snap above the keeper 42, as shown in Fig. 3, when the panel 3 is swung upwardly. Owing to the fact that two shafts 25 are provided, together with two actuating springs 33, a fine adjustment of the parts is rendered unnecessary, and the cables 36 are at all times maintained at the same effective length and of a length to cooperate properly with the cable 34.

Attention is directed to my copending applications Nos. 62,334 and 94,186, wherein movable stairways similar to the one shown in this application are described and claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is In a device of the class described, a frame; a panelhinged to the frame; a stairway mounted to slide on the panel; a pair of alined, independently operable shafts journaled for rotation adjacent the hinged mounting of the panel; a drum receiving the inner ends of the shafts; a spring connecting each shaft with the drum; a flexible element connecting the drum with the stairway; and a flexible element connecting each shaft with the panel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK E. BESSLER.

Witnesses Dono'rnr SABIN, EDWIN V. BENESE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

